Stories & Features

EV fleets & more: Join our managed charging pilot program

To prepare for the impact of energy storage on our grid, we're interested in collaborating with business customers to test new technologies and solutions for load management.

Voluntary pilot program is looking for business customers

Electric cars and trucks you've heard about – and for good reason. Adding electric vehicles to your fleet can reduce fossil fuel use and emissions, add to your overall energy efficiency and save you money.

But did you know powering other batteries with clean, affordable electricity could do the same?

As BC Hydro continues to explore the benefits of capacity-focused energy management, we're looking to better understand how smart and managed charging can help balance the needs of the battery (to support a vehicle or building) with the capabilities of our grid infrastructure. To prepare for the impact of energy storage on our grid, we're interested in collaborating with business customers to test new technologies and solutions for load management.

"The purpose of this pilot project is to learn more about the role managed charging can play in the day-to-day operations of commercial and industrial business customers," says Steve Cao who administers BC Hydro's electrification research programs. "We know it's challenging for business customers to shift their demand because they're not always able to make a choice about running equipment at different times of day. We think managed charging can help."

What we're looking for:

Voluntary participation of five or more business customers who have a strong interest in managing their demand charges (i.e., peak load)

A one-year commitment

Customer profiles of interest (but not limited to):

A large fleet of electric vehicles (10 or more vehicles)

A small fleet of electric vehicles (five or fewer)

A large shopping centre that offers a range of commercial services (e.g., restaurants, retail stores, parking)

An industrial or manufacturing process that uses a single, large battery

A large fleet of loading/stacking cranes or electric forklifts (10 or more)